TORONTO (Jan. 12) – The typical excitement and fervor about hockey in this city bears almost no relation to the fate of the 2008-09 Toronto Maple Leafs. Unbiased observers have long understood that the current season is all about the process that will expectedly nudge the Leafs into Stanley Cup contention three and four years down the line. As such, there is a great deal of anticipation over the moves Brian Burke will execute in the early stage of this program – eagerness enhanced by Burke’s uninhibited management style.
That said, the Leafs aren’t going to be turned around at the trade deadline in March. There will likely be options available to Burke that set the table for improvement, but this enterprise will stretch into next season and beyond.
And, no decision that Burke makes will have a greater impact on the hockey club than his choice of a No. 1 goalie. The general manager hasn’t spoken directly about the future of Vesa Toskala, but neither has he said anything that indicates unquestioned confidence in the Finnish-born netminder. Instead, we hear remarks such as, “We need more consistency from one night to the next… our goaltending has been brilliant at times, but not adequate at other times.” It is also a given that the Leafs will summon farm-hand Justin Pogge for a longer look but as Burke told the Toronto Sun, “…not because he’s earned it. It’s because we have to see what we have in him.” Presumably, that wouldn’t be an issue if Burke were convinced he could move into contention with Toskala.
The Leafs gave up a first-round pick to acquire Toskala from San Jose at the 2007 NHL Draft in Columbus. Though the club staggered to a 12th-place finish in the Eastern Conference last season, Toskala appeared to rise above the malaise. He was undeniably the Leafs’ most valuable possession heading into the current season, but he hasn’t come close to duplicating his performance. For whatever reason, Toskala has lapsed into mediocrity. Before Monday night’s games, his 3.34 goals-against average ranked 45th among netminders with at least 14 appearances. His .882 save percentage was even worse – 47th overall. Even the goalie considered to have regressed more than any other this season – Marty Turco of Dallas – had numbers superior to Toskala [3.13 and .884].
So, Burke is quickly encountering the most important decision of his Maple Leaf tenure. Traditionally, the best NHL teams build from the goal out. Toskala is under contract at a manageable $4 million through the end of next season, but has provided no recent indication that he can handle the most critical role on a Stanley Cup contender. Burke was familiar with Toskala from his years in Anaheim, when the Ducks would play San Jose eight times a season. Evgeni Nabokov handled the bulk of the Sharks’ netminding, but Toskala subbed often enough for Burke to establish an opinion of him.
Though Cliff Fletcher refused to make Toskala available for trade – figuring, after last season, the club was set in goal – Burke doesn’t appear to be of the same mind-set. Perhaps he’ll come to the conclusion, at some point, that Toskala couldn’t possibly thrive on a team as ordinary as this one. Or that there isn’t a reasonable upgrade imminently available to the Maple Leafs. If so, he’ll ensure that the native of Tampere, Finland is secured on a long-term contract extension well before next season.
But, it’s also likely the GM wonders – as I do – why Toskala’s performance has tailed off to such an extent behind a club that has often controlled the puck and outshot its opponent in 2008-09. He surely wonders why Toskala has failed so frequently to make saves in the critical early moments of a game [the Leafs have yielded the first goal in an astounding 29 of their 42 matches]. There’s an unmistakable debility when facing opponents on breakaways. And, Burke has to be turned off by the appearance of a laissez-faire demeanor after losses. “Good goals don’t bother me,” Toskala has said on more than a few occasions.
When all of this is considered – and Pogge has received a valid audition – Burke may well set out to find a championship-caliber netminder. The question is, where? Top-level goalies are a precious and limited commodity; the teams that have them aren’t generally in the practice of letting them go, and there is the pervasive challenge of a salary-cap figure expected to diminish over the next couple of years. That’s the environment in which the Leafs have entrusted Burke to escape decades of mediocrity and fashion a Stanley Cup threat.
It’s also a particular task at which Burke hasn’t excelled. For years, he plundered along without a world-class netminder in Vancouver – employing journeymen such as Garth Snow, Corey Hirsch, Kevin Weekes, Felix Potvin, Bob Essensa, Dan Cloutier, Alex Auld and Peter Skudra. His faith in Cloutier was rarely matched by performance, especially in the playoffs. It wasn’t until two seasons after Burke left the Canucks that the club finally landed a superstar. David Nonis, now Burke’s chief lieutenant with the Leafs, somehow wrenched Roberto Luongo away From Florida in a ridiculously one-sided deal.
Burke landed in Anaheim, with Jean-Sebastien Giguere entrenched as his No. 1 goalie. Giguere had won the Conn Smythe Trophy as a losing player in 2003, after Anaheim was edged by New Jersey in a seven-game Stanley Cup final. The consensus in So-Cal is that Burke wasn’t particularly enamored with Giguere until the goalie backstopped his team to the ’07 title. He then signed Giguere to a four-year, $24-million extension that eats up $6 million of cap space and has a no-trade provision.
If Burke chooses not to retain Toskala, where does he turn for a goalie with whom the Leafs can move forward in the coming years?
Given his fierce loyalty to those that have prospered under him, would he try and wrest Giguere out of Anaheim? The Montreal native is 31 years old and has a wonky hip. But, goalies can often excel into their mid and late-30s, and Giguere might benefit from a change of scenery. He’s been with Anaheim since 2000 and has recently endured a tough emotional stretch with the death of his father and the birth of a son that has an eye deformity. Maxime Giguere is well cared for medically in southern California, and that’s why J.S. asked for, and received, a no-trade clause from Burke, who is normally averse to granting such privileges.
Prime medical care here in Toronto likely wouldn’t be an issue – the Hospital for Sick Children is a world-renowned facility. As a pure hockey transaction, it’s another story. Giguere would have to agree that a move is in his best interest and the Leafs would have to ensure they can assume a $6 million cap hit for at least the next two seasons. The Ducks would presumably unload Giguere only if they are certain Swiss native Jonas Hiller can step in as their undisputed No. 1 man. Up to now, Hiller is enjoying an excellent season. His 10-8-1 record is unremarkable, but his 2.20 average ranks sixth in the NHL and his .926 save percentage ranks seventh.
Would Burke attempt to pry Mikka Kiprusoff out of Calgary? The Flames – like many teams – are up against the cap and they have a prime goaltending prospect in Leland Irving, who is playing with Quad City of the AHL this season. Again, the Leafs would be taking on a hefty contract, but one that diminishes in cost. Kiprusoff, 32, will make $7 million next season; $6 million in 2010-11 and $5 million in 2011-12. His annual cap hit is $5.833 million. Can he remain a top-flight NHL goalie into his mid-30s?
The Boston Bruins will not keep Tim Thomas and Manny Fernandez, both of whom are unrestricted free agents this July. But, both are 34 years of age.
Tomas Vokoun in Florida is still only 31 and the Panthers could make him available. It was shown during the recently concluded World Junior Hockey Championships that Florida has a top goaltending prospect in Jacob Markstrom of Sweden. Craig Anderson is sharing the NHL chores very capably this season [his .933 save percentage in 21 appearances ranks second in the NHL] and the Panthers might wish to escape their commitment to Vokoun, who will make $6.3 million next season and $5.7 million in 2010-11. But, would Vokoun automatically be an upgrade over Toskala?
Ryan Miller would look awfully nice in a Toronto jersey, though it’s inconceivable the Sabres would trade him to a divisional foe; they’ve locked him up through the 2012-13 season. Buffalo does, however, have a fine prospect in Swedish native Jhonas Enroth.
The list of goalies slated to become unrestricted free agents this summer is easily led by Minnesota’s Niklas Backstrom, who is finishing up a two-year, $6.2-million deal. Many hockey observers are confused as to why GM Doug Risebrough hasn’t yet re-signed a goalie that ranks near the top of the NHL in all major statistics and is tied for second in the league with five shutouts. Backstrom’s agent, Don Baizley, told the St. Paul Pioneer-Press late last week that “…nothing is in the works right now.” Suffice to say that if the Leafs could land Backstrom, their goaltending issue would be settled for many years.
Though Pogge hasn’t excelled at the AHL level, he could respond to the challenge of taking the reigns from Toskala, and that’s why Burke must give him a sufficient test this season.
Otherwise, there are no obvious candidates to assume the No. 1 goaltending mantle with the Blue & White. Unearthing that commodity will be a monumental task for the Leafs’ new GM.
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